NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Police reports
• PRINCEVILLE – For the second time in recent weeks, a spate of vehicle thefts and burglaries happened in Princeville.
At least six incidents were reported March 28, according to the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office. One vehicle was reported stolen from a residence in the 400 block of S. Walnut St. and was recovered later in Dunlap. A vehicle reported stolen in Peoria was found at the Walnut Street address.
In the 100 block of S. Tremont Ave., a 2008 Honda Accord was reported missing but was found not far away. The sheriff’s office did not release a report about another incident because a juvenile was involved.
Additional vehicle burglaries and thefts in Princeville were reported March 6.
• OAK RUN – An Oak Run man was accused of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old, authorities stated.
Blaine A. McKinney, 34, was arrested March 24 at his residence, according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. The incident was reported in 2025 but occurred a few years earlier.
McKinney was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child younger than 13 and was transported to the Knox County Jail in Galesburg. After a March 25 court appearance in Knox County Circuit Court, McKinney was released with conditions, including surrender of firearms.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for 2 p.m. April 14.
• MONICA – A Monica woman was accused of domestic battery and endangering the life or health of child. Samantha R. Shumaker, 35, was transported to the Peoria County Jail following the incident, which happened between 4-7 p.m. March 10 in the 14700 block of W. Locust St. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was notified. One victim was specified.
• BRIMFIELD – An incident at a Brimfield residence resulted in a local woman’s arrest on domestic-battery charges. A Peoria County Sheriff’s Office deputy was summoned shortly after 12:30 p.m. March 10 to the 300 block of E. Calhoun St. regarding trouble between a man and a woman who were separated. The sheriff’s-office report was almost entirely redacted.
Kara L. Blackburn, 53, was transported to the Peoria County Jail. Two victims were listed in the report, a Peoria man and a Brimfield woman.
• FARMINGTON – A Canton man who was stopped for speeding in Farmington was found to have driver’s licenses in two states.
Charles F. Pace, 57, was driving a westbound 2012 Chevrolet Traverse a Farmington police officer pulled over shortly after 1 a.m. March 9 in the 100 block of E. Fort St. The vehicle was traveling 50 mph in a 35-mph zone, police reported.
A check revealed Pace had a valid Wisconsin driver’s license but a suspended Illinois driver’s license. Pace was cited for driving with a suspended license and for having no valid insurance. The vehicle was impounded. Pace received a notice to appear.
• ELMWOOD – Items valued at about $14,000 were reported missing from a machine shop at an Elmwood residence.
The victim notified Elmwood police shortly before 9 a.m. March 8 about the apparent burglary, which took place in the 400 block of E. Harrison St. A chainsaw and two slot machines were taken, according to an Elmwood police report.
A door to the machine shop was kicked open. Video-surveillance cameras recorded a dark-colored SUV that pulled into the driveway at 3:21 a.m. and pulled out at 3:24 a.m. No license plate was visible.
• ELMWOOD – A Yates City man was arrested following an apparent domestic-battery incident at an Elmwood store. Joshua A. Bateman, 34, was accused of pushing a 26-year-old Elmwood woman into shelves about 12:30 p.m. March 4 at Dollar General, 812 W. Main St. Surveillance video and a witness confirmed the incident, an Elmwood police report stated.
An officer took Bateman into custody shortly before noon March 5 in the 800 block of W. Main St. He was charged with domestic battery and disorderly conduct and transported to the Peoria County Jail. Bateman also had two outstanding Knox County warrants for unspecified crimes.
• ELMWOOD – Charlesa A. Christy, 40, of Elmwood was accused March 1 of unlawful possession of methamphetamine, driving without lights when required, driving with a suspended license and disobeying a stop sign, according to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
Christy also was wanted for an unspecified offense.
• OAK RUN – A Dahinda man was driving a derby car that caught fire on his property southwest of Oak Run. The incident happened about 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 in the 1300 block of Old Wagon Rd. According to a Knox County Sheriff’s Office report, the 24-year-old driver believed the vehicle’s gas line might have disconnected. He and his brother attempted to extinguish the flames, to no avail.
Firefighters were summoned. The fire spread to nearby grass. No injuries were reported, and no structures were damaged.
• DOUGLAS – The driver of a vehicle stopped near Douglas that didn’t have registration plates displayed also didn’t have a valid license.
A Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled over an eastbound 2001 Lexus GS300 shortly after 9:30 p.m. Feb. 26 in the 1900 block of Illinois Route 8. The driver, 27-year-old Anthony S. Gaughan of Moline, said he had no plates because he just repurchased the vehicle at auction, a sheriff’s-office report stated.
The deputy found the valid plate inside the vehicle before it was impounded. Gaughan was cited for driving with a suspended license.
• WILLIAMSFIELD – After he punched his sister in the face, a Williamsfield man telephoned police to turn himself in, according to authorities. Urrell A. Johnson, 20, was arguing with his 28-year-old sister shortly before 10:30 a.m. Feb. 26 at a residence in the 200 block of N. Oak St. His punch cut her lip, a Knox County Sheriff’s Office report stated.
Johnson was accused of domestic battery and transported to the Knox County Jail in Galesburg.
• GALESBURG – These were among calls to which the Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded between March 8-14: suspicious vehicle, Dahinda; two fires, Dahinda; threats, Yates City; domestic dispute, Williamsfield; wire fire, Williamsfield; burglary, Yates City; noise complaint, Yates City.
PRINCEVILLE – At 12:15 a.m. March 12, Brett C. Shumaker of Princeville was driving a northbound 2015 Jeep Compass on Princeville-Jubilee Road just south of Yess Road when the vehicle struck a deer.
Shumaker appeared to be uninjured, according to a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office report. The vehicle sustained damage but was drivable.
